Folding ironing table



April 25, 1933. J P. DORAU FOLDING IRONING TABLE Filed Feb. 13. 1932 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1933 JOHN P. DDRAU, 0F PORIAG-E, WISCONSIN FO DI IR Ni NG T B E Application filed February 13, 1932. Serial No. 592,676.

invention relates to improvements in folding ironing tables;

It is one of the objects of the present 111- vention to provide an ironing table which, i 5 when in use, will be supported. very rigidly and firmly, with the rigid supporting means being disposed below that portion of the table subjected to the greatest pressure in use, but which table may be easily and quickly collapsed to a compact positlon soas to ,occupy a minimum amount of storage space wh nnot in use, n

A further object of the mventlon 1s. to

r provide a folding ironing table supported by pair ofconnected legs and a third leg, all connected with intermediate portions of the table and arranged so that in collapsed position the third leg will fold in the direction of folding of the pair of legs and to be arranged compactly with respect thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding ironing table of the class described wherein the pair of legs is provided with means for diverging and spreading the same under tension when the pair of legs are in unfolded position. 7

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a folding, three-legged ironing table in which the legs and brace members therefor .are all operatively connected s0 that a movement of one of said members will tend to move the others of said members also.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a folding ironing table provided with quickly manipulable means for locking allof the legs in unfolded position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding ironing table which is of very simple construction, is easily manipulated,

is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, is strong .and durable, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

lNith the above and other objects in view,

r the invention consists of the improved foldlng ironing table, and 1ts parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the ironingt'able it in open or unfoldedposition;

Fig. 2 is'an inverted plan'view thereof; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the ironing table in fold-ed or closed position;

Fig. 4 is an end viewof the ironingta l in open position; Fig. 5 is an end View illustrating a slight modification of the ironing table construction; and

F ig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail I sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, thereof, it

will appear that the numeral 8 indicates the i boardor table portion of the folding ironing table and the same may be of anysuitajble shape, but is preferably of'rectangular form with a tapered :end portion 8'. I

I An elongated U-bracket 9 is secured trans- 1 verselyto an under, intermediate portionof the board, and there is also secured to an under surface of the board transversely thereof and l ngitudinally r m v d fromthe "brac 97 in the direction of one end of the board,

a h r Li -bracket. 10. Another short 1U- hracket lljis secu ed t the und su face o the board in longitudinal spaced relation to he bracket 9 be w enthe latt r a d ll tapered .endp ti9h187 o theboard For the purpose o f'ass'isting'in the support of the board 8 a l ginemb .12 isprovided,

composed of a pair .of members 12 secured together at their lower or outer ends and diverging upwardly, the upper end portions of said members 12 being pivotally attached to opposite end portions of the bracket 10 as at 1 3 and 13. I f u The board is also supported by a pair of somewhat longer legs 1a whi h ar pi otally secured at their upper end portions'to opposite end portions of thebr-acket 9. The upper end portions of said legs 14 are beveled. as at 14:, so that when said legs are unfolded with respect to the board said beveled ends will bear-flatly against the under surface of the board, providing asteady support and limiting the opening ,or unfolding movement of said legs. i

The two legs. 14 are connected by meansof 4.07 ranged as shown in Fig. 3 with all of the legs with a hooked end portion 18 to prevent withdrawal of the same from the staple 17, as shown in Fig. 1.

The pair of legs 1414t is connected with the single leg 12 by means of an elongated V -shaped wire or flexible brace 19. The outer or free end portions of said brace 19 are bent angula'rly' and are pivotally extended through lower portions of the legs 14. The inn-er end portion of said brace 19 is formed vwith a transverse portion 19 which is pivotally extended through spaced eyelets 20 secured to intermediate portions of the members 12. The outer recessed or slotted end portion 21 of a board brace and locking member 22 is adapted to coact in open position of the ironing board, with the transverse end portion 19 of thefiexible brace 19. The opposite end portion of said board brace or looking member 22 is pivotally carried by the bracket 11. Links 23 have their upper or inner ends pivotally connected to opposite sides ofthe upper portion of the member 22, while the lower or outer end portion of said links 23, which are diverging, are pivotally secured to inner side portions of the legs 14 intermediate the ends of said legs.

WVhen the table is folded, the parts are arand pivotal braces extended in the same direction and compactly against the under surface of the board.' To open or unfold the table, the leg 12 is moved away from the board, and inasmuch as said leg is connected tothe transverseend 19 of the flexible brace 19, which brace is in turn connected with the 1 pair of legs 14, when the leg 12 is unfolded, the legs 141 will also be moved away from the board toward open supporting position. During this movement the free slotted end.

portion 21 of the board braceand locking member 22 will be drawn along the under surface of the transverse portion 19 of the brace 19 and may ultimately be snapped into engagement with said portion 19, the said portion 19 then'lodging within the recess 21 formed on the inner face of the board brace and locking member 22. During unfolding movements of the legs the crossed brace wires 15 will have their upper end portions drawn inwardly with respect to the staples 17 on the legs 14 until the hooked end portions 18 engage said staples as shown in Fig. 1. Also,

unfolding movement of the leg 12 will force the board brace 22 away from the inner face of the table and this will cause pivotal movement of the links 23 which will serve to diverge the lower end portions of said links and spread the legs 14 so that when said legs are infinal open position they will be secured in opendiverged position under tension. To fold the ironing board from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 it is only necessary to press against the lower outer end of the board brace and locking member 22 so as to lower the same away from the transverse portion 19 and then by folding the leg 12 inwardly the other parts will be collapsed in a manner reverse to that previously described and against the inner surface of the table or board 8 in the manner SllOWlL in Fig. 3. In

folded position the free end of the board brace 22 is swung slightly to locate it under the extension of the long pivot stud 13 to aid in retaining the parts in folded positions.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a modification of the invention has been illustrated and in this form the crossed braces 15 are each formed in 7 )ortions )ivotall' connected to the connect- Y ed ends of the members 15 and 25, as at 26, as

- best shown in Fig. 6. This arrangement precludes the necessityof having sliding connections between ends of the braces for the legsl l-and the legs, inasmuch as when the table is in folded position the connected members 15 and 25 fold with respect to each other and thus permit the legs 14: to be drawn together. In unfolded or open position of the table movement of the links 25 is limited byengagement with stops 27 projecting from upper face portions of the legs 14. l

From the foregoing description it willbe seen that the improved ironingtable isof 1 simple and novelconstruction and is well adapted for the purposes described.

, TvVhat is claimed as the invention is:

1. An ironing table, comprising aboard member,1a pair of legs pivotally connectedto the bottom portion of the board member intermediate its ends, a'third leg pivotally connected to the bottom portion of the board adjacent one end thereof and remote from the pivotal connections for the pair of legs,

ments, a flexible brace member extended between the pair of legs and the third leg to cause joint movement of all of said legs to and from folded position, and diverging means pivotally connected to the first-mentioned brace member and to the pair of legs and exerting leg spreading forces on the pair of legs.

2. An ironing table, comprising a board member, a pair of legs pivotally connected to the bottom portion thereof, a third leg also pivotally connected to the bottom portion of the board remote from the pivotal connections of said pair of legs, a board brace member extended between a bottom portion of the board and said third leg, said brace member being pivotally connected at one end to one of the elements between which it is extended and having its other end free in inoperative position but releasably engageable in operative position with the other of said elements, brace members extended between said pair of legs, one pair of ends of said brace members being pivotally connected with said legs and the other pair of ends of the brace members being shiftably associated with said legs whereby the outer ends of said legs may converge when folded to inoperative position against the board memher, a flexible brace member extended between the pair of legs and the third leg to cause joint movement of all of said legs when moved to and from folded position, and connections between said board brace member and the pair of legs for diverging the latter when the same are moved to supporting position. V

3. An ironing table, comprising a board member, a pair of legs pivotally connected to the bottom portion thereof, a third leg also pivotally connected to the bottom portion of the board, a flexible, V-shaped brace member connected at its closed end with said third leg and having its other end portions pivotally connected to the pair of legs, a board brace pivotally connected at one end to the bottom portion of the board and having its other end portion releasably engageable with the closed end of said V-shaped brace member for locking purposes when the legs are in operative position, brace members extended between said pair of legs, one pair of ends of said brace members being pivotally connected with said legs and the other pair of ends of the brace members being shiftably associated with said legs, and connections pivotally connected between said board brace member and the pair of legs for diverging the latter when the same are moved to operative position.

4. An ironing table, comprising a board member, a pair of legs pivotally connected to the bottom portion thereof, a third leg also pivotally connected to the bottom pormember connected at its closed end with said third leg andhaving its other end portions pivotally connected to the pair of legs, a board brace pivotally connected at one end to the bottom portion of the board and having its other end portion releasably engageable with the closed end of said V-shaped brace member for locking purposes when the legs are in operative position, two pairs of foldably connected crossing braces arranged with the end portions of each pair pivotally connected to the individual legs of said pair of legs, and outwardly diverging links pivotally connectedat their inner ends to said board brace member and having their outer ends pivotally connected with the crossing braces at the points of folding of the same.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JOHN DORAU. 

